Contact button for automobile horns



Oct. 27, 1931. o. H. RIDGEWAY 1,828,785

CONTACT BUTTON FOR AUTOMOBILE HORNE Filed DEC. 26, 1928 //Vl/E/VTO/ OSCAR H. RIDGEWAY.

Patented oce 21,1931

OSCAR H. RIDGEWAY, TO, CALIFORNIA CONTACT BUTTQN FQR AUTOMOBILE H ORNS Application filed December 26, 1928. Serial No. 328,346.

My invention relates to an article of manufacture comprising an improved contact button for automobile horns and the like-wherein a hollow transparent button is arranged to receive a compass needle mounted within the button and supported in horizontal position therein to be observed through a transparent top of the button.

The primary object of my invention isto provide, as an improved article of .manufacture, a contact button for automobile horns and the like provided with a compass whereby a driver may at all times observe the direction he is traveling.

Another object is to provide a horn button having a hollow transparent actuating member adapted to receive and house a compass needle whereby a compass may be mounted in conveniently observable position upon the steering post of an automobile.

A further object is to provide an improved device of the character described provided with a platform inclined to the axis of the button whereby a compass may be supported in substantially horizontal position when the button is mounted in normally inclined position coaxial with the steering post of an automobile.

.A still further object is to provide an-iinproved article of manufacture which may be economically manufactured and which may be easily installed in place of or in association with the ordinary steering post horn buttons of automobiles.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of thenpresent application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the specification and drawings, and in which Fig.1 is a vertical section of my improved vcontact button shown in a position corresponding to the normal position upon the steering post of an automobile; and

Fig. 2 is a in Fig. .1.

Referring tothe drawings, the numeral 1 18 used to designate in general a mountin member adapted for mounting upon the en plan view of the device as shown.

of an automobile steering post at the center of a steering wheel in the ordinary and well known manner, the steering post and wheel being omitted from the drawings. The member 1 is provided with a contact block 2 secured therein and provided with a fixed contact 3 and a spring contact 4 of the ordinary form adapted to close an electrical circuit to an automobile horn.

An actuatingmember or button 6 is slidably mounted in connection with the member l. The button 6 is preferably formed entirely from glass orrother transparent material, said button being hollow and provided with an annular flange 7 arranged to be engaged by a flange 8 formed upon the outer end of the mounting member 1 to retain the I button upon said member 1 and limit the outward movement of said button. A disc 9 is mounted across the inner end of the button member 6 to engage the free end of the spring contact 4 whereby an inward movement of the button will operate to move the contact to close acircuit. The spring pressure of the contact member 4 operates to normally hold the button in its outer extreme position and the member 4 in circuit breaking relation to the contact 3. v

A platform 11 is provided within the button member 6, said platform being arranged at an angle to the axis of said button so that whe the button is mounted in operative positio upon a steering post in axial alinement therewith in the ordinary manner, the platform 11 will be disposed within a horizontal plane. A compass needle 12 is mounted upon the platform 11. The needle is arranged to swing free upon a central vertical pivot 13 in the ordinary manner,a retainingmember or guard 14 being provided 9 to prevent theneedle' from bein displaced from the pivot. The points of t e compass are marked upon the upper face of the platform 11 by suitable markings 16.

' In operation, mv improved contact button is mounted u on the end of the steering post 1 of an automo ile in'the same manner and in the place of the ordinary horn contact button.

In applyingthe button,the mountingmember '1 is secured in operative position and .the 10c button member 6 is turned to a position such that the platform 11 will be horizontally disposed. By pressing the button inwardly, the spring contact member 4 is caused to engage 5 the fixed contact 3 to close the electric circuit to the horn in the ordinary manner. At the same time, the button member 14 forms a' housing enclosing. the compass needle and supporting the same in a conveniently observw able position at the center of the steering wheel whereby the driver may observe the direction of the course he is traveling at any time. The transparent housing permits the needle and the points of compass marked upon the platform to be observed at all times and from substantially any angle.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1, 1. As an article of manufacture, a combined horn switch button and compass housing comprising a hollow transparent body having a cylindrical portion that is provided with an outwardly disposed flange to slidably u.) engage a switch mounting member mounted upon an automobile steering post in coaxial relation to said post; a platform angularly disposed within the transparent body, said platform being disposed at an angle relative an to the cylindrical axis of the hollow body equal to the normal inclination of the steering 0st; and means to mount a compass need eupon the platform.

2. As an article of manufacture, a com- 7 3:, bined horn switch button and compass housing comprising a hollow transparent body having a cylindrical portion that is provided with an outwardly disposed flan e to slidably engage a switch mounting mem er mounted 41' upon an automobile steering post in coaxial relation to said post, and engaging contact actuating means within the switch mounting member, said flange limiting axial movement of the button within the mounting member; 4: a platform rigidly secured within the hollow body in fixed angular relation to the cylindri cal axis of said body, said platform being disposed at an angle relative to the axis of the ody and post equal to the normal inclination of the post whereby said platform will normally occupy a substantially horizontal position when the button is mounted in oper-- ative' position upon the steering post and switch mounting, and said platform havin 0' the points of compass marked thereon; and

\ means to mount a compass needle upon the platform whereby said needle may be observed through the transparent body of the button.

80 In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

OSCAR H. RIDGEWAY. 

